Miracles and Sins

Chapter 2

Keenan

𓇢𓆸

"Your meeting with Antonio Damari is at 9am, sir." Lana said while fixing the papers scattered on my desk.

"That creeps me out."

"What creeps you out?"

"That."

"That what?"

"That secretary tone."

"You're 38, a pakhan, and you're creeped out with my tone?" Lana laughs as she continues to fix the papers.

"Yeah. Not when you're a sister. What do you think?"

Svetlana Aisenyev. My younger sister.

"I shouldn't be doing your secretary's duty right now if you didn't kill every single one of them, skotina."

"I'm your brother. You should not call me brute." I smiled at her.

"But you are a brute. And fyi, this is the only thing that I can do for you. Nothing more, nothing less." she rolled her eyes.

"I needed to. I was raised to be like this, what do you mean?"

Silence filled the room.

Lana refused to be in this kind of business. She fought her way out from here. Hard.

"Yeah, but you should not kill people just because you're annoyed or something. Hello?"

She wanted a normal life. So I gave it to her.

I was 25 and she's 19. She's just starting to explore the world. Too gentle to be in this kind of field work. A friday night I can never forget.

"I don't want to get married!" Lana's voice echoed inside the dining hall. Which made the noise coming from the banquet disappear.

Our father didn't bother to listen to her retort. He just continued to talk with his business partner.

They're planning to let the other pakhan's child marry into our family to expand their connections and businesses. A normal thing that often happens in this kind of business.

I can see Lana's reaction. Her emotions are over the place. Anger, fear. As if she wants to run away. And that kinda irks me. Nothing makes me feel like this. Not when it comes to mama and Lana.

The dinner with the other pakhans ended. It was just Lana, my father, and I. Father didn't allow Lana to go upstairs to rest. He insisted on having a talk with us.

"Father, please! I'm 19! I still have so much thing to do! I don't want to get married!" she cried. Our father then slapped Lana hard in front of me.

"I'm not getting married!" Lana shouted. She was once again slapped by our father.

"You are getting married. Shout all you want, but you are getting married! You useless brat!" father said. He's red because of anger. He's now choking Lana against the wall.

And something is building up inside my chest. Something dark. Something that needs to get out.

"It's not necessary for Lana to get married. I can get you connections and assets more than that pakhan can. Just give me time, father." I said while pulling his arm away from my sister. He needs to cut this out while I still have a little respect left. While I can still control myself.

He's doing it again. The things he's done to my mother is happening again.

I grew up seeing him abusing my mother. To see her crying every night, skin full of bruises, frail because of injuries, is unforgivable. It's unforgivable. Maddening even.